# The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

7 Hacker News commenters recommended The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its fun, different and charming tone, and for a strong translation with notable footnotes. Some readers find the opening slow.

## Why people recommend it

- Fun, different, charming tone (3 comments): "The only widely known fun book outside of Russia is Master and Margarita." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48671104)) "Really amazing book. So different from all other books, yet so great." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49914171)) "I thought had a very special charm" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47471031))
- Considered among the best novels (2 comments): "One of my personal favourites is Bulgakov'с Master and Margarita" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48785833)) "Its simply one of the best novels ever written." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49902172))
- Strong translation and footnotes (2 comments): "My first read was so boring I couldn't help but stop reading before the end of the first chapter." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48509645)) "it came with incredible footnotes" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48668245))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crime-and-punishment.md): 39 recommend
- [The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/brothers-karamazov.md): 28 recommend
- [Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace](https://hackerapproved.com/p/infinite-jest.md): 26 recommend
- [The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://hackerapproved.com/p/great-gatsby.md): 24 recommend
- [Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atlas-shrugged.md): 23 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0241259320?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780241259320) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov", https://hackerapproved.com/p/master-and-margarita/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).